How do I say 'I would like to be a...' in Spanish?

To say 'I would like to be a...' in Spanish, use 'Me gustaría ser...' followed by the profession. For example, 'Me gustaría ser médico' means 'I would like to be a doctor'. Remember that 'ser' is used for permanent states like professions. If you want to say 'I would like to work as a...', you can say 'Me gustaría trabajar como...'.

What are the irregular future tense verbs I need to know for jobs and careers?

Key irregular future tense verbs for this topic include: 'tener' -> 'tendré' (I will have), 'hacer' -> 'haré' (I will do), 'decir' -> 'diré' (I will say), 'poder' -> 'podré' (I will be able to), 'saber' -> 'sabré' (I will know), and 'venir' -> 'vendré' (I will come). For example, 'Tendré un buen sueldo' means 'I will have a good salary'.

How can I talk about my work experience in Spanish?

To talk about work experience, use the preterite tense. For example, 'El año pasado hice prácticas en una oficina' (Last year I did work experience in an office). Describe what you did: 'Trabajé en el departamento de marketing' (I worked in the marketing department). You can also say what you learned: 'Aprendí a trabajar en equipo' (I learned to work in a team).

What phrases can I use to give reasons for my career choice?

Use phrases like 'porque' (because), 'ya que' (since), and 'puesto que' (as). For example: 'Quiero ser enfermero porque me gusta cuidar a los demás' (I want to be a nurse because I like caring for others). You can also use 'debido a' (due to) + noun: 'Debido a mi interés por la tecnología, quiero ser ingeniero' (Due to my interest in technology, I want to be an engineer).

How do I compare two different jobs in Spanish?

To compare jobs, use 'más... que' (more... than) or 'menos... que' (less... than). For example: 'Ser médico es más estresante que ser profesor' (Being a doctor is more stressful than being a teacher). You can also use 'tan... como' (as... as): 'El sueldo de un abogado no es tan alto como el de un cirujano' (A lawyer's salary is not as high as a surgeon's).

What vocabulary do I need to describe a part-time job?

Key vocabulary includes: 'trabajo a tiempo parcial' (part-time job), 'el horario' (schedule), 'el sueldo' (salary), 'las tareas' (tasks), 'el jefe/la jefa' (boss), 'los compañeros' (colleagues), and 'las responsabilidades' (responsibilities). Example sentence: 'Trabajo a tiempo parcial en un restaurante los fines de semana. Mis tareas incluyen servir mesas y limpiar.'

Topic 4: Jobs, career choices and ambitions

AQA

GCSE

This topic covers customs and festivals in Spanish-speaking countries and communities, requiring students to understand and express information and opinions about cultural traditions, celebrations, and the significance of these events.

Objectives

Exam Tips

Pitfalls

Key Terms

Mark Points

Topic Overview

Topic 4: Jobs, career choices and ambitions in the AQA GCSE Spanish curriculum focuses on equipping students with the vocabulary and structures needed to discuss work, future plans, and aspirations. This topic covers a range of sub-themes including different professions, part-time jobs, work experience, career preferences, and the importance of languages for employment. Students learn to describe their ideal job, discuss the pros and cons of various careers, and talk about their ambitions for the future. The topic also explores the world of work in Spanish-speaking countries, including typical jobs and the role of technology.

Understanding this topic is crucial for both the speaking and writing exams, as it allows students to express personal opinions, justify choices, and use a variety of tenses (present, preterite, future, and conditional). It also helps students develop transferable skills such as discussing advantages and disadvantages, making comparisons, and using conditional phrases like 'me gustaría' (I would like) or 'si fuera...' (if I were...). Mastering this topic not only prepares students for exam success but also provides practical language for real-life situations, such as job interviews or discussing career paths in Spanish.

This topic connects to other areas of the GCSE course, such as 'Work and future plans' (Topic 5) and 'Global issues' (Topic 6), as students often discuss how their career choices relate to broader societal issues like sustainability or technology. It also builds on vocabulary from earlier topics like 'Free time' and 'Home and local area', enabling students to create more complex and nuanced responses. By the end of this topic, students should be confident in using a range of job-related vocabulary, forming conditional sentences, and expressing future intentions with clarity.

Key Concepts

Core ideas you must understand for this topic

→Vocabulary for a wide range of professions (e.g., abogado/a, médico/a, ingeniero/a, enfermero/a, profesor/a) and work-related terms (e.g., el horario, el sueldo, las vacaciones, la experiencia laboral).
→Using the future tense (simple future: trabajaré, estudiaré) and the conditional tense (me gustaría, podría) to talk about ambitions and hypothetical career choices.
→Structuring a paragraph or speech to include opinions, justifications, and comparisons (e.g., 'Prefiero ser médico porque...' or 'Es mejor que...').
→Discussing the importance of languages and skills for future employment, using phrases like 'Es importante saber idiomas para...' or 'Las habilidades como... son esenciales'.
→Using the preterite tense to describe past work experience (e.g., 'El año pasado trabajé en una oficina') and the present tense for current part-time jobs.

What You Need to Demonstrate

Key skills and knowledge for this topic

Ability to name and describe specific festivals (e.g., Día de los Muertos, Día de Reyes, La Tomatina).
Understanding of cultural vocabulary related to customs and traditions.
Ability to express opinions about festivals and justify them.
Use of appropriate tenses to describe past, present, and future festival experiences.
Recognition of cultural context to deduce meaning of unknown words.

Marking Points

Key points examiners look for in your answers

Ability to name and describe specific festivals (e.g., Día de los Muertos, Día de Reyes, La Tomatina).
Understanding of cultural vocabulary related to customs and traditions.
Ability to express opinions about festivals and justify them.
Use of appropriate tenses to describe past, present, and future festival experiences.
Recognition of cultural context to deduce meaning of unknown words.

Examiner Tips

Expert advice for maximising your marks

💡Learn the specific vocabulary for major festivals like Día de los Muertos and Día de Reyes.
💡Practice using the preterite and imperfect tenses to describe how you celebrated a festival in the past.
💡Use the 'Strategies for understanding' (e.g., using visual/verbal context) to decode unfamiliar cultural terms in reading/listening tasks.
💡Prepare justifications for your opinions on festivals to gain higher marks in speaking and writing.
💡Be ready to compare customs in Spanish-speaking countries with those in your own culture.
💡To score high marks in the speaking and writing exams, always extend your answers. Instead of just saying 'Quiero ser médico', add a reason: 'Quiero ser médico porque me gusta ayudar a la gente y tengo habilidades para la ciencia.' This shows range and complexity.
💡Use a variety of tenses to impress the examiner. For example, when talking about your dream job, use the conditional ('Me gustaría ser...'), then explain why using the present ('porque es...'), and mention a past experience that influenced you ('Cuando era pequeño, quería ser...').
💡Learn specific vocabulary for different sectors (e.g., healthcare, technology, education) to avoid repetition. For instance, instead of always saying 'trabajo', use 'profesión', 'carrera', 'empleo', or 'oficio'. This demonstrates a wider lexical range.

Common Mistakes

Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

Confusing specific festival dates or traditions.
Over-reliance on English-based word coinage when describing cultural events.
Failure to use appropriate tenses when narrating past festival experiences.
Lack of justification when expressing opinions about customs.
Ignoring the cultural context clues provided in texts.
Misconception: 'Me gusta ser médico' means 'I would like to be a doctor.' Correction: 'Me gusta ser médico' means 'I like being a doctor' (present tense). To express 'I would like to be a doctor', use 'Me gustaría ser médico' (conditional tense).
Misconception: The future tense is always formed by adding endings to the infinitive. Correction: While most verbs are regular (e.g., trabajaré), some common verbs have irregular stems, e.g., 'tener' -> 'tendré', 'hacer' -> 'haré', 'decir' -> 'diré'. Students must memorise these irregular forms.
Misconception: 'Trabajo' only means 'I work'. Correction: 'Trabajo' can also mean 'job' (noun). Context determines meaning: 'Mi trabajo es interesante' (my job is interesting) vs. 'Trabajo en un hospital' (I work in a hospital).

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions students ask about this topic

Before You Start

Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

•Basic knowledge of the present tense (regular and common irregular verbs) to describe current jobs or studies.
•Understanding of the preterite tense to talk about past work experience or part-time jobs.
•Familiarity with expressing opinions using phrases like 'creo que', 'pienso que', and 'en mi opinión'.

Key Terminology

Essential terms to know

The world of work and professional responsibilities - including idiomatic expressions such as 'ganarse la vida' (to earn a living) or 'estar en el paro' (to be unemployed)
Future career plans and educational pathways - focusing on the cultural nuance of 'el bachillerato' versus vocational training and the significance of 'la selectividad'
The impact of technology and globalization on the modern workplace - including the rise of 'teletrabajo' (remote working) and the implications of the gig economy

Likely Command Words

How questions on this topic are typically asked

Describe

Explica

Compara

Da tu opinión

Menciona

Ready to test yourself?

Practice questions tailored to this topic

Topic 4: Jobs, career choices and ambitions

Topic Overview

Key Concepts

What You Need to Demonstrate

Marking Points

Examiner Tips

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Start

Key Terminology

Likely Command Words

Ready to test yourself?

Related Topics in AQA GCSE Spanish

Theme 1: Identity and culture

Theme 2: Local, national, international and global areas of interest

Theme 3: Current and future study and employment

Topic 1: Home, town, neighbourhood and region

How to Revise Topic 4: Jobs, career choices and ambitions — AQA GCSE Spanish

Overview & Synopsis

Examiner Tips for Topic 4: Jobs, career choices and ambitions

Common Mistakes in Topic 4: Jobs, career choices and ambitions

Key Marking Points

Topic 4: Jobs, career choices and ambitions

Topic Overview

Key Concepts

What You Need to Demonstrate

Marking Points

Examiner Tips

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I say 'I would like to be a...' in Spanish?

What are the irregular future tense verbs I need to know for jobs and careers?

How can I talk about my work experience in Spanish?

What phrases can I use to give reasons for my career choice?

How do I compare two different jobs in Spanish?

What vocabulary do I need to describe a part-time job?

Before You Start

Key Terminology

Likely Command Words

Ready to test yourself?

Related Topics in AQA GCSE Spanish

Theme 1: Identity and culture

Theme 2: Local, national, international and global areas of interest

Theme 3: Current and future study and employment

Topic 1: Home, town, neighbourhood and region